Why does everybody accept TSSAA rules

[FridayMainEvent]

QUOTE(JC#1fan @ May 1 2007 - 07:24 AM) 826448901[/snapback]I understand this, thus the referance to Dana from Seymor. The comment was directed toward the head coach position, in which case you do have to be a member of faculty. All head coaches then select their respective assistants, usually one of their buddies with some spare time. I understand this is a softball forum, but take the football coaching situation at JCHS. Ads have been placed in nearly every paper in the country, with multiple applicants coming from other states. What happens when a head coaching job comes open for a softball position? Most likely the faculty will be called together for a conferance and asked "Who wants to coach softball?" The first one to raise their hand is the most likely candidate. I mean no disrespect here because there is some good coaching in high school softball, but "Why is there not the same consideration as when looking for candidates to coach other sports?" Are the girls still not student/athletes the same as any other sport? Do they not deserve the same consideration? How many high school softball coaches in the IMAC have college or comparable experiance? Compare this to football or baseball. As you can tell I am an avid advocate for helping the girls achieve their maximum potiential as we are. Great job MOWEST Trojans for a undeafeted season in the IMAC, this is not as easy as some might think.

 

 

You are correct about a lot of things said in this post. There is no comparison between the requirements for Coaching Male and Female sports in High School. A lot of that is due to fact that college and professional level male related sports are money makers, while just the opposite is true for female athletics. That doesn't make it right, but that is why more emphasis is placed on male sports. I took the non-faculty training provided by TSSAA hoping to some day get a chance to help our new Coach if needed, but like you said, most Head Coaches are going to get assistants they are most comfortable with. I'm not saying that's wrong, but that is the way it is. All you can do is offer your assistance and it is up to that particular head coach to either reject or accept it. I do think they need to re-evaluate the testing for this. There should be some type of knowledge-based assessment relative to the sport you are wishing to assist in. The bulk of the questioning related to TSSAA rules ( which the head coach should have knowledge of) and none pertained to what you actually know about the game itself. If I read the rules correctly, after being an assistant for 5 years, you are eligible for a head coaching position, but that is irrelevant if you aren't ever given an opportunity to join a staff. I do think the High School teams could greatly benefit by maintaining a better line of communication with the travel coaches in their area. Each can probably learn a lot from the other which in the long run is going to benefit the kids.

[my2cents]

QUOTE(cascade11 @ May 1 2007 - 09:31 AM) 826448992[/snapback]You are correct about a lot of things said in this post. There is no comparison between the requirements for Coaching Male and Female sports in High School. A lot of that is due to fact that college and professional level male related sports are money makers, while just the opposite is true for female athletics. That doesn't make it right, but that is why more emphasis is placed on male sports. I took the non-faculty training provided by TSSAA hoping to some day get a chance to help our new Coach if needed, but like you said, most Head Coaches are going to get assistants they are most comfortable with. I'm not saying that's wrong, but that is the way it is. All you can do is offer your assistance and it is up to that particular head coach to either reject or accept it. I do think they need to re-evaluate the testing for this. There should be some type of knowledge-based assessment relative to the sport you are wishing to assist in. The bulk of the questioning related to TSSAA rules ( which the head coach should have knowledge of) and none pertained to what you actually know about the game itself. If I read the rules correctly, after being an assistant for 5 years, you are eligible for a head coaching position, but that is irrelevant if you aren't ever given an opportunity to join a staff. I do think the High School teams could greatly benefit by maintaining a better line of communication with the travel coaches in their area. Each can probably learn a lot from the other which in the long run is going to benefit the kids.

 

You are right, after 5 years of being an assistant you can be the head coach.

[FridayMainEvent]

QUOTE(my2cents @ May 1 2007 - 11:35 PM) 826449665[/snapback]You are right, after 5 years of being an assistant you can be the head coach.

 

 

Thanks for verifying that for me.

[JC#1fan]

How? I'm not 100% certain. Unfortunately, I think it would have to come from a group of individuals with a passion for sports who have become completely disenchanted with the antics of TSSAA and have the time and ability to create something new from scratch. The problem is that those who are truly passionate about youth sports are already overbooked with their involvement and don't really have the time to coordinate a new or competing organization. Also, unfortunately, many who would fall in this category have already moved into avenues they view as being much more productive and worthwhile (such as AAU basketball and travel softball). Taking on the gorilla is such a huge task and would take a tremendous amount of time - and the resilliancy to take the bashing and combativeness that TSSAA would unleash.

 

In my view at this point, if there is a movement, it would probably have to start from those involved in the private school ranks. With recent TSSAA rulings such as the multiplier and the new calendar and 50% rules, there is a great deal of disenchantment amoung a lot of private school people. I would also think that the private school would have more latitude and flexibility to consider an alternative than public schools would, in the beginning at least.

 

I agree that there would be problems with any governing body, complete with new and different problems. Those things are true in collegiate ball, travel ball, and in business in general. But, competition and new startups tend to correct the problems from top heavy, overbearing monoliths. TSSAA has lost touch with reality in a lot of areas and know that they have the ability to do whatever they want and not be challenged in any meaningful way. If nothing else a new governing body, or even a serious threat of a new governing body could be enough to bring them back in line and cause them to make some significant changes in the way they now do business. Competition normally brings changes that are beneficial to the consumer.

 

Without getting into the travel world too deeply, and while acknowledging that there are too far many "alphabet" governing bodies, the competition of start up organizations has produced positive changes. In a previous life that involved baseball, I watched the Babe Ruth organization go from being the gorilla on the block to being an average, mid-tier organization because they were much like TSSAA is today - bloated, out of control, and somewhat monopolistic. The same process has happened in other travel sports as well. In softball, ASA has been in the same gorilla position, but continues to show signs that they have no ability to learn from history. They were probably in a better position of strength at the start of the process than Babe Ruth was, but travel softball as we know it today is still a relatively new animal. They continue to hold the perception of being the top dog, but the competition from startups and ASA's lack ability or willingness to listen and be appropriately flexible is beginning to produce cracks and signs of potential breakage.

 

I'm rambling now... but I've been a proponent of a TSSAA alternative for years, so it is impossible to outline a plan in a short forum post in a way that makes much sense. There are, however, a lot of like minded people out there who have the same thoughts... and after this last ruling, are becoming much more vocal. I've personally heard more "it's time to do something" comments over the past year and specifically the past two weeks, than I've ever heard before. Of course, one of us has to get off our butt and start the ball rolling. Sure there will be new challenges, problems, and criticism, but there is no indication that TSSAA has any real concern or interest in the student-athlete or high school athletics. To many of us, it seems as if they are nothing more than a powerful bureaucracy with an overwhelming interest in the bottom line and maintaining their control.

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The rules any governing body may set are not the issue here. I don't think anyone has a problem with the rules TSSAA has set for any athletic program. If they don't want athletes from the same high school practicing together in high school facilities, except for certain times of the year, that may be their prerogative. However, what gives them the right to tell anyone; athlete, parent, or coach what they can do outside of high school athletics? This seems to be a violation of the basic rights of all American citizens, (i.e. FREEDOM). If an athlete wants to pursue multiple sports by all means they should, but an athlete that only concentrates on one sport should not be punished because another "might not" want to.